CRIMINAL VICTIMIZATION OF WOMEN

• NCJ Number: 68694
• Journal: Victimology Volume: 4 Issue: 4 Dated: (1979) Pages: 371-384
• Author(s): L H BOWKER
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 14 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THIS ARTICLE SURVEYS DATA ON CRIMINAL VICTIMIZATION OF WOMEN IN THE UNITED STATES.

Abstract

PROPERTY CRIME, MURDER, ASSAULT AND RAPE ARE EXAMINED IN DETAIL, WITH PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO DATA FROM THE NATIONAL CRIME SURVEY PROGRAM. WITH THE EXCEPTION OF RAPE, MEN ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE VICTIMS OF EACH OF THESE CRIMES. HOWEVER, FOR OFFENSES COMMITTED WITHIN THE FAMILY, WOMEN ARE MORE LIKELY THAN MEN TO BE ASSAULTED AND MURDERED. PERSONAL PROPERTY CRIME VICTIMIZATION AFFECTS APPROXIMATELY 1 OUT OF EVERY 12 FEMALES. SEVERAL FACTORS LEAD TO A PATTERN FOR FEMALE LARCENY WITH CONTACT: (1) LARCENY WITH CONTACT IS A LARGE PROPORTION OF ALL PERSONAL LARCENY VICTIMIZATIONS FOR WOMEN AGE 65 AND OLDER, (2) LARCENY WITH CONTACT IS LOWER FOR YOUNG WOMEN AND NEVER MARRIED WOMEN, (3) WOMEN WHO LIVE MORE PUBLIC LIVES RUN HIGHER RISKS OF PERSONAL LARCENY VICTIMIZATION, (4) MINORITY FEMALES HAVE TWICE THE LARCENY CONTACT RATES OF WHITE FEMALES. AS REGARDS MURDER, A SURVEY OF REPORTED CRIMES IN 17 CITIES FOUND THAT 4 OF EVERY 5 FEMICIDES WERE COMMITTED BY MEN, AND BETWEEN ONE-THIRD AND ONE-HALF OF THESE MURDERS WERE BY HUSBANDS. AMERICAN STATISTICS ARE UNUSUALLY HIGH FOR FEMICIDE, AS THEY ARE FOR HOMICIDE. THIS REFLECTS AN UNCOMMONLY VIOLENT SOCIETY. IN 1975, THE ASSAULT VICTIMIZATION RATE FOR WOMEN IN THE UNITED STATES WAS 16.1 PER 1,000; ONE-THIRD WERE AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS. IN RAPE AND IN SEX OFFENSE, THE SURVEY SHOWED THE UNITED STATES AHEAD OF EVERY OTHER LARGE NATION. THE OFFICIAL FBI RAPE RATE FOR THE UNITED STATES IN 1974 WAS 26.1. THE TOTAL SEX OFFENSE RATE IN 1974 WAS APPROXIMATELY 90 PER 100,000. THE ARTICLE COMPARES SELF-REPORTED VIOLENT AND PROPERTY CRIME RATES WITH VICTIMIZATION SEX RATIOS FOR 26 AMERICAN CITIES AND SUGGESTS THAT EMPIRICAL DATA ON FEMALE VICTIMIZATION ARE OFTEN INCONSISTENT WITH COMMONLY HELD STEREOTYPES ABOUT THE RELATIVE DANGER OF MAJOR CITIES. TABULAR DATA AND A LIST OF REFERENCES ACCOMPANY THE REPORT.